


Bitter and Sweet

by Asellas



Series: Life Eternal [6]
Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Romance, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27377029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asellas/pseuds/Asellas
Summary: There were many words he could use to describe Aether. So many, in fact, that he normally had trouble remembering them all without repeating at least two.
Relationships: Aether | Quintessence Ghoul/Dewdrop Ghoul | Fire Ghoul
Series: Life Eternal [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1486604
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Bitter and Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something nice and sweet and possibly smutty last night. This morning, I apparently wanted to write angst. Whoopsies...  
> Timeline is during the lull between the Meliora and Prequelle eras, before the new band lineup was chosen.
> 
> Thank you for reading, please enjoy!

There were many words he could use to describe Aether. So many, in fact, that he normally had trouble remembering them all without repeating at least two. He was tall, bulky,  _ fucking big! _ , yet his bulk was gently warm and soft, unlike the harsh, chiseled planes of muscle and bone he was used to. Aether was slow and careful, conscious of his build and strength, always moving with considerations for those around him. He was sweet and kind, honest and genuine. Intelligent and handsome, thoughtful and…

A mistake.

Dewdrop can’t help but shudder from the combination of the hissed little voice from the back of his mind and warm, calloused hands slipping under his shirt and resting on his sides. Aether tasted of the pints of bitter he’d drunk with him, all sharp and floral like a rosebush from the hops. Dewdrop didn’t care for bitter drinks, honestly quite heavily disliked them, but found he didn’t mind tasting it mirrored on plush, warm lips and wicked tongue that danced against his own in the slow back and forth of shared breaths and languid kisses that have merged into one long, silent confession of…  _ something _ .

_ ‘Mistake’ _ , his inner voice warns as those large hands slide lower then back, thick fingers slowly flexing against the shallow planes of his ass. Dewdrop mentally shoves the voice away, emboldened by the warmth and buoyancy of alcohol in his veins, and groans softly against Aether’s lips. His own hands are busy, one splayed out on the bigger ghoul’s back and the other threaded through short locks of coarse hair, clinging to him with an unspoken urgency.

“Aether…  _ fuck _ …” Dewdrop groans, shifting his legs and grinding down against Aether’s lap. It’s not a position he’s used to by any means, but for some reason with Aether it felt  _ right _ , as if he were made to straddle thick thighs and present himself as an offering in exchange for the hot sensation of bliss filling his body and the soothing of the desperate need for… for…

“Mmm?” Aether leans back slightly, just enough that their lips part from each other and the short distance between them is filled with soft puffs of hot and quick breaths. It does something to him, flicks some switch on inside him that makes him scramble forward, pressing himself flush against his fellow ghoul’s body, lips grazing the column of Aether’s neck before pressing his face into his shoulder. Dewdrop mumbles against soft skin, intentionally incoherent as his face heats with more than just the alcoholic blush staining his cheeks.

“What? I,  _ ahhh that tickles!-- _ I couldn’t hear you.” A shudder runs through the bigger ghoul when Dewdrop mouths at the sensitive spot between clavicle and neck, his fangs just barely grazing the skin. Intrigued by this new discovery Dewdrop repeats the motion a few more times, until Aether has to push him away to stop laughing, rubbing a hand over the spot.

Once he’s calmed enough to speak Aether asks again, “what was that you said?”

Words died on his tongue as Dewdrop took in the sight of Aether’s face, flushed from alcohol and mirth, aubergine eyes glittering brightly and mouth set in a soft, happy smile. He’s the exact image of perfection, the model of what anyone could ever want in someone else, so handsome and affectionate and sexy that whatever these feelings were threatened to pull Dewdrop apart and tie him into knots.

“Mmm? What, cat got your tongue,” Aether teases softly, reaching out to gently cup Dewdrop’s face, running the pad of his thumb along the fire ghoul’s lower lip. The callous dragged against soft skin, a shallow rasp that goes right down his spine.

“Fuck me,” Dewdrop breathes, unable to tear his eyes away from Aether’s face.

Aether tilts his head just slightly, brow knitting as he slowly comprehended the words. “Ah? Is something wrong?”

“No, I mean,” shaking his head without breaking eye contact, as if doing so would break the spell this whole situation felt of, “You, fucking me. I want it.”

“Dew,” Aether replies slowly, after a long moment of silence, “we’re drunk.”

The fire ghoul shakes his head, “no, not  _ that _ drunk.”

Silence spreads between them, like a growing chasm that would cut them off completely if he didn’t manage to cross it soon. An ache begins to fill his chest, the voice returning with a vengeance.  _ This is why you never ask, this is why you always insist on spontaneity, letting it happen organically. This was a mistake!  _ Now that Dewdrop can’t ignore it, not with the constricting of…  _ whatever the hell this is _ , around his heart, he sees the truth in it. The silence itself was Aether’s answer and he tries to swallow down that bitterness without looking as crushed as he feels.

“Ah, well,” Dewdrop shrugs, raking a hand through his long, chestnut tresses to push them away from his face, “guess I just… misread this, then.”

“Dew…”

He shakes his head, sighing softly. “I’ll, um, I’ll head off now. Sorry.”

Dewdrop slides one leg off Aether’s lap and to the ground, giving him leverage to push up and away. He sways just a bit till he finds his balance, the feel-good part of the alcohol splashed away by the cold reality of rejection. There’s nothing but silence from the quintessence ghoul as he walks to the door, every step carefully planned and executed to say ‘ _ look, see, I’m not drunk at all _ ’. Despite knowing he shouldn’t, Dewdrop turns to look over his shoulder, catching the soft look on Aether’s face.

_ Don’t look at me like that! Come on, tell me stop. Tell me to stay. Reach out, say my name, something, anything… _

He gives a slight wave with one hand as he opens the door, “See you.”

Dewdrop steps out into the hall pausing a moment before he shuts the door slowly, softly, till the latch clicks back into place, the sound feeling like a nail into a coffin lid.

**Author's Note:**

> I think I'll one day have their whole relationship written out in these small fics, at the rate I'm going. Eh, such is life...


End file.
